TOKYO, Feb 15 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) — Hitachi Metals, Ltd. (TOKYO:5486) has developed a ceramics adsorption filter (CAF) as a pre-treatment technology for the sea water reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination process in order to minimize fouling of RO membranes*1. A joint research study conducted by Hitachi Metals Ltd, Japan and the Nanyang Environment & Water Research Institute (NEWRI) at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have shown that with the addition of CAF in the pre-treatment stage prior to the RO stage, the rate of RO fouling was slower and hence the membrane cleaning frequency can be reduced. The findings have shown that the amount of biofilm attached on the RO membrane was significantly reduced. This is expected to reduce water production cost. Hitachi Metals will accelerate efforts toward commercial applications, and will expand the business in Singapore, which is the center of research of the water treatment technologies.
1. Background
Due to the population growth, economic growth, and climate change, water shortage has become a global issue. One of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) promoted by the United Nations is to ensure the accessibility to clean water and improve in water quality and price.*2
